Chapter 5: Smart Workplaces: Enhancing Employee Well-being and Work–Life Integration Through AI

Employees have so many pressing issues today that taking care of themselves and enjoying a comfortable lifestyle is becoming increasingly difficult (Bella, 2023). Modern computational work has been relentless, involving long hours of high workload and constant connectivity which tend to make employees experience more stress or burnout (Ajayi & Udeh, 2024). Subsequently, this also poses challenges for employees to switch off at the end of their working day or even after they have returned home without having clocked out (Tochia, 2021). In addition, the rat-race to achieve and accomplish time-bound tasks can lead to a disregard of health, lack of sleep, and diminished family and social interaction. Often, these are further worsened by inadequate support structures in at least some organizations; constrained availability of mental health services being one example but also often including personal wellness programs and flexible work arrangements. This makes it difficult for employees to juggle both work and personal life contributing toward reduced job satisfaction, lower productivity as well adverse effects on individual happiness. To meet these challenges, we need a future of work that is designed proactively to incorporate technology like AI in ways that are supportive and ensure the creation of the balanced, healthy, and sustainable working environment.